My Father's Daughter
by TheGingerNextDoor
Summary: A myseterious visitor to Volterra brings changes to the Cullen family. Could this be the thing that shakes the bonds between family? Or will it bring them closer together?
1. Chapter 1

Carlisle and the Princess

Chap. 1-Juliette

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. It is property of Stephanie Meyer.

0900 Hours

Volterra, Italy

Juliette

I take a deep inhale as I approach the steps of the large, imposing castle. I find that I feel fear, which is funny, considering that I am a vampire. I glance behind me, to my mate, Simon, who smiles and nods. I throw open the doors and smile as brightly as I can. Instantly, something happens in my stomach-I feel suddenly like I belong.

Meanwhile….

0900 Hours

Cullen's home

Forks, WA

Things were in full swing on that fateful Friday morning at the Cullen's. Carlisle was just about to leave for work when a hurried knock came at the door of his study. He opened it to reveal Alice's clouded visage. He gestured her in, and then Edward appeared behind her, following her into the room.

"Carlisle, something's happening in Volterra. They're going to call you about a girl. A girl called Helene. That's all I saw for now, but you might want to tell Esme." He sighs, and nods, unsure as to what this girl might mean, and why Alice is seeing her, as she only shares visions of things she thinks is relevant to the family.

Carlisle nods, and strides out of his study to the bedroom, where he enters to find Esme smoothing her skirt over her body before she heads downstairs to feed Nessie and begin her day. He smiles at his wife's reflection in the full-length mirror, and she sighs.

"What is it, honey?" He smiles, and chuckles lightly. God, how well they knew each other. He shrugged.

"Alice had a vision. We're going to be summoned to Volterra, I think." Esme sighs again.

"What is it this time?"

"A girl. A child. That's all Alice knew. I suppose it's something to do with Ness; perhaps another half-blood?" Esme smiled; she hoped that was the case, and that her beloved granddaughter might find some comfort in another half-blooded vampire who understood her and her life. She smiled at Carlisle, and turned to face him.

"I hope so, for Nessie's sake." Carlisle nods.

"Me, too. I'm sorry, my dear, but it's time for me to head to Forks General Hospital." Esme shook her head; sometimes, she wished her husband could spend all day in their bed with her, but she knew that he must work to support them all. Besides, her fantasies were just that-fantasies, for she knew she would quickly tire of her husband's presence after awhile. Not that she didn't love him fiercely, she just had a routine now with Ness, and it was THEIR time together.

"I know, sweetheart. Call me at lunch?"

"Of course," he replied, tapping her nose, and kissing her head as he strode out of the room. She smiled at his retreating figure, and then headed out of the room herself. She soon found herself preparing eggs and toast for the young child; the only human food besides chocolate milk that the girl would eat.

At the hospital, Carlisle entered his office, and noticed a thick, sealed envelope that had been stuck under his door. The fancy scroll and weight of the paper told him what it was, though there was no return address. He tore open the envelope, marked simply "Dr. Carlisle Cullen" and began to read. It was summons to Volterra, effective immediately, and he instantly picked up his phone and dialed home. Esme answered on the first ring; she'd been expecting a call, though from a real estate agent, so she was surprised to hear her husband at the other end of the line.

"Sweetheart? Please pack a bag for you and me. I got the summons this morning." He hears Esme sigh, and then she speaks.

"Ok, honey. Are we taking any of the children?"

"What do you think?"

"Well, it's oftentimes helpful to have Alice and Edward. Jasper, too."

"Let's make it a family trip, then. Nessie hasn't been to Italy. We can stop over in Rome on the way home." He starts his computer to type out a letter of request for emergency family leave as Esme replies.

"That would be fun. I will speak to the children when they arrive home from school. Anything else?"

"No, you and I will discuss this later. Thanks, honey."

"Have a good day, dear." He sighed as he hung up, and clicked "send" to email the letter to the chief of Surgery, and then clicked over to his calendar. He only had five patients today, and only two were serious, so he picked up his phone and asked the receptionist to reschedule the appointments that weren't serious to another doctor. She said she would, and he hung up. He turned his chair around carefully to face the wall, and stared it at for a few minutes, thinking about what it might be that the Volturi could want. He couldn't think of anything, so he turned back around, checked the time of his first appointment, and put on his lab coat, locating his supplies as he headed down the hallway to the appointment room. He purposely pushed all thoughts of Volterra out of his mind, and concentrated on his patient, an elderly man called Mr. Jones.

Juliette

It was a much more gruesome scene than I had imagined. The Volturi three, and their guards, practiced no noticeable form of decorum as the elevator full of mortals arrived at their floor. They began to feed indiscriminately, and it was only when one of the older men had me in a vice grip did he stop.

A hiss was uttered, and the room fell silent.

"Demetri, take this girl to the tower, and make sure they keep her locked up." A young man with flashing red eyes steps forward, but hisses as he does.

"I said, do it," came the reply. The boy sighed, but took my hands in his and led me down a hallway, away from the now-deafening screams. I speak.

"Please, you can't take me. Look," I say, trying to show him the mark on my arm, near the crook of my elbow. He is unmoved. "It's your crest." This catches his attention, because he stops, and spins me around harshly.

"Let me see it." I lift the sleeve of my shirt gingerly, and trace the outline of the mark with my finger. He gazes it at, and then shrugs. It is a moment before he speaks.

"I still have to take you. But I will speak to Aro, as I understand that your thoughts are real. But what he decides to do with you-that's out of my control." I take a deep breath, but nod.

"I understand." He loosens his grip on me, and I follow him down the long hallway, through a large doorway, down a staircase, and into a room. He taps a wall three times, and it gives way to a dark, poorly lit staircase. I whimper in fear, and he growls at me.

"GO." I start down the staircase, and can sense him behind me. I turn on my "glow", my special power that allows light to radiate in dark places from my hands, and we troop down the stairs in silence. Once we arrive at the bottom step, I turn off my glow, and he sighs.

"That's cool. But don't let the guards see you do that. They're not as forgiving as my masters." I muffle a snort, as I have heard many stories about their mercilessness, and their aggression. I reply.

"I understand. Thank you." He leads me down the hallway about a half yard, and we stop in front of what are clearly holding cells, very jail-like. He speaks to another vampire; this one quite tall, a mess of sandy blonde curls falling to his shoulders.

"Collin, this girl is Aro's property. Please see that she is kept quiet and out of sight until he is ready to deal with her."

The man nods, and motions for me. I dutifully follow him into a cell, where a cot is set up, along with a sink and small cabinet. There is nothing else in the room. I settle onto the cot, and nod once. The blonde man speaks to me.

"Here you are. Cellblock 1-B. What is your name?"

"Juliette. I don't have a last name."

"Juliette is fine." He scribbles something on a clipboard, and then raises his eyes. He turns to the boy called Demetri, and speaks.

"She will be fine here. Please rely to Mr. Aro that everything is secure." The kid nods, and turns away. I speak.

"Please relay to them that I am a willing prisoner. I came knowing that there may be severe consequences."

"You're a stupid girl for coming when you did."

"So my mate tells me." The guard's eyes flicker.

"You have a mate?"

"Yes."

"I am sorry. You are allowed one phone call per day, and one letter per week."

"Thank you. What about hunting?"

"Prisoners don't hunt." I sigh deeply, but nod.

"I understand. Thank you." He nods once, and turns away, locking the door behind him. I inhale deeply, and take in my surroundings. I lie down on the bed, and try to clear my mind of all thoughts, just in case a vampire with special powers is nearby.

End of Chap. 1


	2. Chapter 2

My Father's Daughter

Ed. Note: There is some discussion on the exact spelling of "Quileute." For the purposes of this chapter, I used the local spelling, as the actual airport is called "Quillayute Airfield."

Chap. 2-Volterra

At the Cullen's, things were in full swing in final preparations for the Italy trip. They had managed to secure 9 tickets to London, where they would be met by a Volturi helicopter and flown the rest of the way to Volterra. Carlisle had been told to bring his former Volturi things-his talisman, his commission paperwork, and any other things he still possessed relating to his days with the ruling Coven. He sent those things to Volterra ahead of the family, and had had the family's extended luggage sent as well, so it would be waiting on their arrival. He had directed the family to only bring enough to fit in a carry-on bag, and with the exception of Alice, who needed an extra bag for her shoes and purses, all of them had complied.

Alice had pulled Carlisle and Esme aside that morning and told them about another vision she'd had, this one a little clearer.

"The first girl I saw, Helene, has been replaced by some other girl called Juliette. She's currently being held as Aro's prisoner. She went to Volterra about some kind of talisman or charm or something. I just see a shape. A crest shape."

Carlisle was worried; he didn't know what the crest shape meant, and though he had been wracking his brain in an attempt to figure the scenario out, and driving Edward crazy in the process, nothing had come to him. He'd spent the night before pacing around his bedroom, and Esme had tried her best to comfort him.

A few hours later, the family had arrived at the main terminal at SeaTac International Airport, after a short charter flight from the Quillayute Airport*. There had been no flights available from the Forks Airport, and due to the urgency of the situation, the Cullen's hadn't wanted to risk the Clallam County airstrip or driving to Seattle.

Now, the family sat on a 757, en route to Dulles, where they would catch a connecting flight to Heathrow. It was there that they would be met by the Volturi helicopter, and Edward and Carlisle had taken great pains to ensure that all of the family members had a full itinerary. This was indeed a family trip, as even Rosalie and Emmett joined the family for this trek.

Carlisle glanced at the family gathered around them; they were garnering stares, which he knew still made Bella a bit uncomfortable, and in his arms, Nessie shifted in her sleep. He smiled down at her brown curls and pale skin, and kissed her head as Esme linked her arm through his.

"She sleeps so well for you." He grinned at his wife, and nodded.

"Yes."

He knew that their granddaughter's presence had brought a certain level of pain for his wife; reminding her of the son she had lost, and the child they could never have together. He wished ardently that he could've had Esme in his life when he was human; that he could have held her lovely body close to his, and seen her pretty smile every morning. But it hadn't been so; in fact, he hadn't had a woman until he joined the Volturi, and even then, no one had been serious, he'd loved no one like he loved her. He sighed now, a wistful sigh, and Esme spoke again.

"It'll be fine, sweetheart. Whatever it is, whatever they say, we will deal with it. Like always." He patted her head with his free hand, and kissed her caramel curls.

"I know, Es. It's just highly annoying that I can't figure out what they want." From behind them, Alice and Edward snorted.

"Us, too," came their reply in unison, causing the others to chuckle. Alice spoke again.

"I have a little more info, if anyone is interested." Carlisle tries not to look too excited, and just nods carefully as the rest of the family gathers closer.

"I just saw the girl with Aro, Marcus, and Caius; they are interrogating her. Alone. She has a mark on her arm, and they all appear surprised." Carlisle nodded; he couldn't be sure what this meant, but perhaps a coup was underfoot, started by the First One, the first person to become a vampire.

"Thank you, Alice." Just then, their boarding announcement came on the PA system, and Carlisle stood up carefully, still clutching Nessie close to him. The family moves to the boarding line; they are boarding first because of Nessie. They stand on line for several more minutes, and then walk onto the plan. Given the late notice, they were unable to find seats all together, and so half of the family was in the front of the plane, and half were in back. Edward took Nessie from Carlisle when they passed; Carlisle and Esme had opted to fly first class, but the children wanted to fly coach so they could mess around.

Nessie opened her eyes as Carlisle shifted her into Edward's arms, and whimpered for a moment.

"No, Daddy. Grandpa." She fell back to sleep, though, as Edward cuddled her closer, and he smiled at her as he trooped back down the aisle to find his wife. Once Edward had disappeared, Carlisle turned to Esme.

"Dear? You might want to rest a little; I have a feeling that the moment we arrive in Volterra, it's going to be high drama." Esme nods.

"I think you're right." She rests her head on his chest, and closes her eyes as they prepare for takeoff. To everyone else, they appear to be young, good-looking couple, so very much in love, but Carlisle knew that Esme was putting her very real fears aside and pretending to put on a brave face for the children.

Halfway through the flight, Bella returned with Nessie, who was now wide awake. Bella spoke to Esme, who had traded Carlisle seats.

"She wants to sit with you, Esme." Nessie nods, and whimpers.

"Gramma," she stretches her arms to Esme, and Carlisle smiles big, telling his wife that it was OK with him that she takes the baby. Esme smiled and shifted the child into her lap, taking the diaper bag full of toys from Bella.

"Edward or I will come back soon. Auntie Rose and Alice each want a turn holding her." Esme nods, and Bella leaves. Esme kisses the girl's head, and pulls her close, using the child to soothe her fears. Nessie places a hand on her forehead and tries to share her visions.

"Ness, you know you can't tell secrets in public, sweetie." Nessie sighs, but nods.

"Sorry. I want you to see the happy." The happy was the child's idea of what she did when she shared visions of joyful, happy, or otherwise positive events.

"You're my happy right now." Nessie smiled, and shifted, reaching for the bag of toys. She pulls out some dolls, and plays happily with her grandparents for a little while, until a stewardess came by.

"Oh, how sweet are you?" Nessie smiled up at the woman as she continued. "Do you guys want anything to eat or drink?" Carlisle and Esme shook their heads.

"No, thank you. Perhaps later." The family continued on with the flight; they all took turns entertaining Nessie; Rosalie took the most turns.

Finally, they landed at Heathrow, and gathered once more in the arrival gate area; they garnered stares, but, as usual, ignored them. Jasper, who was holding Alice close, spoke.

"Al, sweetie, tell everyone what you saw." Alice nodded and spoke to the group, in a low whisper so as not to garner any more stares by having their lips move but nothing coming out.

"I saw the girl again. Aro is speaking to her; she is claiming to be one of them. Carlisle, you know the crest on the painting of the Volturi in your study? She has a mark, almost like a tattoo, on the crook of her arm, here," Alice pointed to her own arm, just under the inner fold of the elbow on the inner arm. She continued. "Aro is quite upset, but he let the girl out of the cell. She is scared."

Carlisle raises an eyebrow.

"No wonder they called me so urgently. OK, everyone. Let's find our next flight, and then we will discuss a plan of action while we wait." The family nodded, and they all grabbed their gear and headed down the hallways of the large airport, locating the private airstrip at the back end of the airport. They had only 15 minutes to wait before the Volturi helicopter would meet them. They settled their gear into a neat pile, and then gathered around each other. Edward spoke.

"We're not close enough yet for me to get anything, but I think the best thing to do is to approach this like we did when the Volturi came before…calm, but prepared for anything." Carlisle nodded, and looked to Alice.

"Nothing new to report, but I agree with Edward's assessment." Carlisle nodded again.

"Thank you both for your input. I think that's exactly what we'll do. When we arrive, I'll set up a meeting with the Three, and then we'll regroup." The family agreed, and they all separated to relax for a few minutes. A little bit later, Alice's low warning came, Edward's at the same time.

"They're here." The family rose to gather their things as a well dressed young woman comes in through the gate, clad in a dark suit. Her pale features and deep crimson eyes were the only indication to the family that she was their steward until she spoke, standing near Carlisle. She had a soft London accent, and Carlisle smiled.

"Dr. Cullen, Mrs. Cullen, children. I am Katherine Stratton, and I will be your page during your stay in Volterra. Please, gather your things and follow me." She indicated the door she had entered from, and stepped through it again. As she did this, she clicked her tongue once, and two big, male vampires appeared.

"The boys here will secure your things. Please enter the chopper now, and strap in. I will tell Luigi that we are prepared to leave once you are all settled." She stepped back, the sound of the high heels she wore tapping on the pavement as she moved her arms, sending the male vampires scurrying around with the Cullen's bags. The family all exchanged looks, but climbed onto the well-appointed helicopter. The inside of the machine was lushly decorated, including carpeted floors and a fully-stocked minibar. The girl called Katherine spoke again, this time into a headset.

"Luigi, the Cullen's are seated. Please prepare us for takeoff."

She positioned herself in front of the Cullen's, and began to speak.

"Please, call me Kate; Katherine sounds so formal. I must run through some safety procedures; it is required by law, you see. In case of an emergency, your exits are indicated by a red Exit sign. Someone should help the child first, of course. In case of a water landing, your seat bottoms can be used as a flotation device. Are there any questions? Good, then, moving on. Upon your arrival, I have been asked to escort everyone except Dr. Cullen to the visitors wing; I have arranged it so that the couples are all together, and the child is in a room connected to Edward and Bella's, who are you?" She paused as Bella nodded once, and Edward rolled his eyes, but raised a hand.

"Fantastic. I also understand that your family prefers, um, unconventional food sources, and so, I have arranged to have some boar's blood be available to you at all times. I am sorry we couldn't locate bear; there appears to be some sort of problem with their habitat in the South of France, and thus, they are dying or extinct or some such nonsense. Finally, Dr. Cullen, you will be met by a young man, a new staff member, called Adolf. He will escort you to meet the Three. I hope you find your stay with us to your liking. If you need anything during the short flight, I will be there," she indicated a small anteroom, "and please ask."

She strode across the room and entered the anteroom, closing the door behind her and sitting stiffly down. The family looked around in bewildered silence, and then Alice spoke up.

"That was rather strange, don't you think?" The others murmured in agreement. They all settled in, though, and prepared for the short flight to Volterra.

Soon, they had arrived at the large, imposing castle, and were escorted off the helicopter. A young man approached Carlisle, and spoke.

"I am Adolf. I will be your page for the duration of your stay here. If you will allow me, Aro has requested your presence immediately." Carlisle nods, and Esme smiles before squeezing his hand, letting him know that it was OK with her, and that they would be fine.

Carlisle followed the dark haired vampire into the castle's back entrance, and into the familiar room. Carlisle was always amazed at how fast the memories of his time in Volterra came back to him with a simple sniff of the air there. He smiled, letting them wash over him, and as Adolf led him down a hallway and to an elevator, he also felt the emotions that the memories brought-sadness, loss, happiness, love, and a little bit of wistfulness.

A few moments later, the elevator stopped in Aro's private study, and Carlisle immediately snapped to the present. He excused Adolf, who disappeared into a dark corner before he settled down at the round meeting table that he had sat at so many times before.

"Gentlemen, what can I do for you?" He sat back, and looked from face to face. It was silent for a moment before Aro spoke.

"We have some news."

"So I gathered. Alice saw a child. What is it? A coup?"

"It's kind of a long story. Perhaps Esme should be here for this, as well."

End of Chap. 2.


	3. Chapter 3

My Father's Daughter

Chap. 3- Revelations

Carlisle glanced around the room.

"If there is something that I need to know that affects my family, then it is best that Esme joins us, that is true. If it is not impacting, please leave my family be." Aro considered. He then turned to a nearby page and spoke.

"Please have Katherine bring Mrs. Cullen here at once." The page nodded and left, silently. After a moment, Caius spoke.

"Carlisle, do you remember a Ms. Millie Bradford?" Carlisle's mental filo-fax began to turn, and a pretty young face popped into his brain. He nodded.

"Yes, she was the sister of that girl you had before Sep, right?" The other vampire nodded.

"Yes, she was. You were quite taken with her, and we were all happy for you; we were sure you'd found your mate. But after a few months, you sent her away. What happened?" Carlisle shrugged. Mostly it had been because he was embarrassed; Millie had been his first woman, and her intensity had frightened him. He relayed this to the others.

"I found her enthusiasm for marriage quite off-putting at the time, although she was a lovely girl." He was confused as to the line of questioning, but then Marcus interjected.

"Were you ever intimate with her?" Carlisle's eyes grew round, and a knock at the door interrupted them. Marcus raised an eyebrow, and Aro spoke.

"Just another moment, please. Carlisle?" He nodded, still unsure what the point was, and the door opened, and Esme took a seat next to him. It was silent for another moment, and then Aro spoke.

"I guess there's no easy way to say this, so I will just come out with it. The girl you mentioned earlier, Juliette, she has our crest on her arm. Her mother was Millie Bradford; we have confirmation from her family coven of this." Carlisle raised an eyebrow, and looked at Esme, who appeared confused. Carlisle turned back to Aro.

"And your point is?"

"We believe that this Juliette child is your child, as well. Miss Bradford's, uh, father, indicated that she died in childbirth, not too long after her stay with us, and therefore, she couldn't have had another father." Esme gasps, and Carlisle's expression turns stony. He sat in stunned silence for several moments before speaking.

"Gentlemen, would you excuse Esme and I for a few moments, please?" The Three nodded, and stood, leaving quietly.

Carlisle turned to Esme.

"We've talked about Millie Bradford before. But you have to know that I had no idea that she was…pregnant. I am sorry." Esme nodded, feeling oddly calm, and took his hand.

"I know that. I believe that you would have stepped in to do the right thing if you had known. Besides, we don't even know if this story is true; maybe there _is_ a coup underfoot, and this girl is lying to save herself." Carlisle nods, miserably, and the other three return. Once they were settled back in at the table, Caius spoke.

"We haven't told the child yet; we felt that it would be best coming from you." Carlisle shook his head.

"How can we be sure that the story you are telling me is the truth?"

"Marcus has spoken to her, as have I. Have Edward take a whack at it. What she says is so, at least, to the very best of our current knowledge. And we know everything." Carlisle considered, and then sighed.

"Where is the child now?"

"She has been moved from the dungeons to the holding chambers. We felt that the dungeon was too harsh once we learned her story." Carlisle muttered under his breath, but nodded.

"Thank you. I need a little while to discuss this with the family, but I would be interested in a meeting with the…child." The Three nodded, and excused Carlisle and Esme.

As they wandered back to their wing, this time without an escort, Esme spoke to Carlisle.

"Before we speak to the children, you and I should talk, Ok?" He nodded.

"Of course." He opened the door to their private chambers, and escorted her in. He led her to the bed, and they sat down together. "What's bothering you, my dear?"

Esme sighed, and paused for a moment to gather her thoughts before speaking.

"Carlisle, you have a child. With someone else. It's just a lot to deal with. I need some time before you and I talk to the children. I need to process this, and what it means for the family." He nods.

"I understand. Please, take your time. I find that I need some time to myself, also." Esme nodded, and Carlisle rose, and moved to the armchair near the bed. He settled himself in, and sat back.

A half-hour later, Esme rose suddenly. Carlisle looked up in surprise.

"Are you ok?" She nodded, and smoothed the blouse she was wearing over her body.

"Yes. Look, I am hurt, and confused, and a little annoyed. BUT I do know that what I said earlier is true-if you had known, you would have stepped up. Because I know you, and that is one of the things I love best about you-that you always do the right thing, even when it is difficult or unpopular." He nodded once.

"I know that you are feeling all of those things, and I don't fault you for them. I appreciate that you are speaking to me about this. I do love you, and I want to make the right decision now, and I need your help with it. You are the best part of me, and I know that if I have to do this alone, I will bungle it up, and make mistakes."

Esme nodded softly.

"Ok. I can do that. I will need more time before I am one-hundred-percent OK with this, but for now, I think this is something we can deal with. I want to meet the girl before we speak to the children. I *will* know immediately if she is yours." Carlisle chuckled lightly.

"I know you will. I think that can be arranged." He crossed to the bedside table and picked up a phone, tapping out a number. A moment later, Esme could hear him speaking to Aro.

"Aro, it is Carlisle. Esme and I would like to meet with the child, alone…yes, that should be fine. We'll be there. No, no page is necessary." He hung up, sighed deeply, and turned to Esme. "Aro is arranging for her to meet with us in the West Wing library in a few minutes. Is that ok?"

"I suppose so." She turned to their luggage then, and began to unpack, humming a little into the silence. Carlisle watched her for a few moments, overcome with remorse and grief for his wife; she was the innocent party, and he felt that he'd betrayed her, though it was many years in the past. It was silent for several more seconds, until Esme cleared her throat.

"Carlisle, do you think she'll like us?" He nodded, smiling humbly.

"I hope so." He watched as she changed her shirt, refreshed her lipstick, and ran a brush through her hair. She looked sideways at him, and then let out a sigh.

"I guess I am ready." She stepped towards him, and he nodded, also.

"Me, too. I guess we should do this."

End of Chap.3


	4. Chapter 4

My Father's Daughter

Chap. 4-the Library

Thanks for the reviews, and for waiting so patiently for the update. Hope to have another for you by Sunday! Enjoy!

Juliette sat in the West Wing library, on a white velveteen stool. Around her were books, more books than she had ever seen. Some of them she's read, but most she hadn't, and some were in languages she never knew existed. She ran a hand through her blonde hair, and adjusted her dress so it covered her knees. She was brought here, and left alone, with a quick warning that someone wanted to see her. And to make it even more uncomfortable, the guard that was usually with her had vanished.

She took a deep breath, and wished desperately for a mirror. Since she had been moved from the cell to her new quarters, which was still in the deep recesses of some forgotten part of the castle, she hadn't had time to unpack the things she'd come with originally. She also desperately missed Simon, and her cat, Baxter.

A knock at the door snapped her to the present, and she stood to answer it. She was wearing sandals, and the snap of her shoes on the floor as she walked towards the door echoed off the walls. She opened the door and smiled at the two people in front of her. It was silent for an awkward moment, and then she spoke.

"Please, come in. They-the guards-told me that you wanted to speak to me privately." Esme nodded, and she and Carlisle followed the young woman into the room. They sat across from her at a reading table on a small setee while she chose the stool again. She sat as ladylike as she could, and tried not so stare at the gorgeous couple in front of her.

Carlisle inhaled, and opened his mouth, but Esme spoke before he could.

"Your name is Juliette, right?" Juliette nodded.

"Yes, ma'am. May I ask your name?" Esme nodded, and replied, her tone soft and gentle.

"Yes. I am Esme Cullen. It is nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Carlisle interrupts.

"Can you tell me how you came to be in Volterra, and a prisoner here?" The girl nodded, and smoothed her skirt.

"Well, my mother died giving birth to me, and I was raised by her coven. She was a succubus. Anyway, I was fine with my life, and not knowing where I came from and my past and who my father was-until earlier this year, when I met Simon, my mate. And we want to be married, but I don't feel like I can be until I know who I am, fully." Carlisle nodded, and Juliette continued. "The only two hints I have about my past is a talisman-this charm," she extracted the charm from around her neck and handed it to him, and then extended her arm so he could see the mark above the crook of her elbow. "And the Crest of the Volturi." He was still gazing at the charm in his hand; it was indeed his, and it was the confirmation he'd been looking for. It had gone missing about the same time that he'd sent her mother away, and he'd suspected the woman had taken it with her. He handed it to Esme, and stood to move closer to the child, inspecting her arm. He looked at the mark, extending his finger to feel it. After a moment, he nodded, and stepped back. He looked at Esme, who was watching him, nodding, and he realized that she didn't appear too upset. He cleared his throat and spoke again.

"Juliette, my dear, it appears that you are my…daughter. I will take some venom and sample it to mine to compare, but the charm, and the mark indicate pretty clearly that you are mine." Juliette slinked back, as if in fear. He shook his head lightly.

"It's OK, child, we will not hurt you." She nodded, and a faint smile spread across her lips.

"OK," she said, relaxing. "So, what happens now?" He looked to Esme, who shrugged lightly, and then back to Juliette.

"I think that we should chat a little, get to know each other some, the three of us. And then you can meet the family." Juliette looked a little surprised.

"You have a family?"

"Yes, Esme here is my wife, and we have seven children, and a grandchild."

Juliette smiled to herself-she had siblings? That was great news. Helene, her coven mate, was the closest thing to a sister she'd had, and while they were close, it wasn't the same. Helene had known what Juliette was planning, and had tried to take her place. Juliette had stopped her, explaining that her journey to find her blood family was not meant to be a slap in the face to her coven, but instead a necessary step for Juliette to move on.

"Wow. That sounds amazing, I have a coven, and a good friend-Helene, but not any siblings."

"Well, none of them are actually related to you…they're all, well, adopted is the best way to describe it, I think. Rosalie and Emmett are the oldest, Edward and Bella are next, and then Alice and Jasper. Finally, there's Nessie, Edward and Bella's daughter." Juliette smiled wide.

"Wow, that is a big family. How do you take care of them all?" Carlisle chuckled

"I'm a cardiologist. We live in Washington state, a little northwest of Seattle."

"Oh, that sounds like interesting work. I am trying to enroll in Uni as a nurse myself." Carlisle's eyes grew round.

"Where are you from?"

"Originally, we're from Wales, but lately, we've been living in the Isles, specifically Skipton. We, um, we're farmers. Sheep." Carlisle nodded, and Esme realized suddenly that the girl didn't have much money, and that her dress was shabby, but that you didn't notice unless you really looked, because, like Carlisle, her beauty left you breathless.

Esme nodded, and spoke, more concerned for the child now.

"I understand, my dear. Tell me, where are you staying here? Is there anything you need?"

Juliette inhaled, and spoke.

"Well, since they let me out of the dungeon, I am in a holding area. In the basement, there are some bunks, and I am the only one in there. It's cold, and dark, but at least there's a bed, and a sink, and I have my things there. I do wish for a mirror-just to see my face, you know-and a phone call to Simon-my mate-would be nice. But the accomadations are suitable." Esme set her lips; their first order of business would be to sort out proper quarters for the child. She turned to Carlisle.

"I think we can arrange those things for you, don't you think, honey?" He nodded.

"Yes, I'll see what I can do." Esme continued.

"It was wonderful to meet you, my dear. If it is OK, I would like to speak with my husband, and the children first, before you meet them." Juliette nodded vigorously.

"Of course. I understand the stress that this might place on you, and I don't want to cause you or your family any further problems." Esme smiled.

"It's no problem, dear. Please, excuse us." She stood, and pulled Carlisle up with her. They showed themselves out, and immediately asked the door guard to summon the Three. Once they showed up, Carlisle asked for the girl to moved to the same floor as the Cullen's, and they reluctantly agreed.

Finally, Carlisle and Esme made their way upstairs to talk to the family. In the elevator, Esme turned to him. "Honey, you were right. I know for certain that she is your child." He nodded.

"I know. Thank you." She nodded back, and sighed deeply.

End Chap. 4


End file.
